Lille

From French Lille (see there for more), from Old French l'Isle (“the Island”), ultimately from Latin īnsula (“island”). Compare also isle and Lyle.

• enPR: lēl
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /liːl/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /lil/
• Homophone: leal
• Rhymes: -iːl

Lille

1. A city, the capital of the Nord department, France; regional capital of Hauts-de-France.
2. A town and municipality of the province of Antwerp, Belgium.

Inherited from Old French l'Isle (“the Island”), from Latin Īnsula, from īnsula (“island”), whence also île. The name was resegmented (like its Dutch counterpart Rijsel): in à l'Isle (“at the Isle”), the definite article came to be considered part of the name, and it was thus interpreted as à Lille.

• IPA^(key): /lil/
• Rhymes: -il

• Audio (Paris)

  (file)

Lille f

1. Lille (the department capital of the Nord department, France; regional capital of Hauts-de-France)

   Meronyms: Bois-Blancs, Faubourg de Béthune, Fives, Hellemmes-Lille, Lille-Moulins, Lomme, Saint-Maurice Pellevoisin, Vauban-Esquermes, Wazemmes

• lillois
• Lillois m, Lilloise f